heterodoxy
noun
het·ero·doxy
ˈhe-tə-rə-ˌdäk-sē 
ˈhe-trə-
plural heterodoxies
1
: the quality or state of being heterodox
2
: a heterodox opinion or doctrine
Examples of heterodoxy in a Sentence
Copernicus's theory that the earth revolved around the sun was arrant heterodoxy at a time when the earth was thought to be the center of the universe.
Recent Examples on the Web
Trump’s heterodoxy and disruptiveness provided the equivalent of an enormous natural experiment, and the results were surprising.
—
Oren Cass, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2021
Historians have put forward theories which emphasized the (overstated) isolation of the province, its religious heterodoxy, and, most compellingly, its lack of the kind of 17th-century political traditions that colonists in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia drew on for support.
—Alexandra L. Montgomery, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 July 2021
The third or worst scenario would be if Rome would for some reason fail to address this situation on time; the heterodoxy would consequently rashly spread within the Church.
—Fr. Goran Jovicic, National Review, 13 June 2021
Four months later, Wilson was ousted as CEO of Ascend, having already been stripped of his responsibilities as early as July, just one month after expressing his heterodoxy.
—Madeline Fry Schultz, Washington Examiner, 10 Dec. 2020
The difference is that free speech and heterodoxy used to have allies in such venues as The New Yorker and the New York Times, where both political and artistic freedom now have so many enemies.
—Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, 6 Oct. 2019
McCain does not appear to have consciously intended his embrace of the campaign finance reform topic to be a major act of ideological heterodoxy.
—Matthew Yglesias, Vox, 26 Aug. 2018
Kanye has long worked with songwriters — something that, because it’s perceived as heterodoxy, is rarely discussed openly.
—Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 25 June 2018
Pleasingly for this reviewer at least, that corner turns out to be the system of liberal-arts colleges that Mr. Scruton says are the key to maintaining a heterodoxy of ideas within civic society.
—Richard Aldous, WSJ, 14 June 2018
See More
Oren Cass, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2021
Historians have put forward theories which emphasized the (overstated) isolation of the province, its religious heterodoxy, and, most compellingly, its lack of the kind of 17th-century political traditions that colonists in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia drew on for support.
—Alexandra L. Montgomery, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 July 2021
The third or worst scenario would be if Rome would for some reason fail to address this situation on time; the heterodoxy would consequently rashly spread within the Church.
—Fr. Goran Jovicic, National Review, 13 June 2021
Four months later, Wilson was ousted as CEO of Ascend, having already been stripped of his responsibilities as early as July, just one month after expressing his heterodoxy.
—Madeline Fry Schultz, Washington Examiner, 10 Dec. 2020
The difference is that free speech and heterodoxy used to have allies in such venues as The New Yorker and the New York Times, where both political and artistic freedom now have so many enemies.
—Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, 6 Oct. 2019
McCain does not appear to have consciously intended his embrace of the campaign finance reform topic to be a major act of ideological heterodoxy.
—Matthew Yglesias, Vox, 26 Aug. 2018
Kanye has long worked with songwriters — something that, because it’s perceived as heterodoxy, is rarely discussed openly.
—Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 25 June 2018
Pleasingly for this reviewer at least, that corner turns out to be the system of liberal-arts colleges that Mr. Scruton says are the key to maintaining a heterodoxy of ideas within civic society.
—Richard Aldous, WSJ, 14 June 2018
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'heterodoxy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1659, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near heterodoxy
Cite this Entry
“Heterodoxy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heterodoxy. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
heterodoxy
noun
het·ero·doxy
ˈhet-ə-rə-ˌdäk-sē
plural heterodoxies
1
: the quality or state of being heterodox
2
: a heterodox opinion or belief
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